Brace for screw-drivers



` (NoMoae1.)

G. W. HUBER.

BRAGE `POB. SCREW DRIVERS, BITS, 688.

No. 885,414. Patented July 8, 1888.

WITNEssEs;

Y Z 7B jm Nv PETERS. Phalwliihngmphor. Waihnlian. D4 I24 GEORGE V.HUBER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRACE Foa SCREW- DRIVERS, BITS, coo.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters` Patent No. 385,414, dated July 3,1888.

Application filed October 10, 1887. Serial No. 251,914. (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. HUBER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and countyof Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Braces for Screw-Drivers,Bits, &c., which improvement is fully set forth in the followingspecification and accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in braces for screw-drivers, bits,Src.; and 1t consists in novel features of construction hereinafterdisclosed, and particularly pointed out in the claims which follow thisspecification.

Figure l represents an elevation, partly in section, of my improvedbrace. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section showing the interior nut,the clutch, and connections. Fig. 3 represents a cross-section of Fig. 2on linex fr. Fig. et represents a vertical section similar to Fig. 20k'a modified form of clutch. Fig. 5 represents a cross-section of Fig. 4on line y y. Fig. 6 represents a vertical section through the lowerparts of the brace, showing'the toolholdin g attachment. Fig.Trepresents a crosssection of Fig. 6 on line e z.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalgures.

VReferring to the drawings, A is the body of the brace holdingthe toolinthis instance a screw-driver, B. rllhis partis hollow to admit theinsertion of the screw G, which latter carries a loose nut, N, adaptedto turn freely on the screw as it is withdrawn by the agency of thehandle H, the latter having a protectingsleeve, S, to protect thelingers from grease, dirt, Src., which may be on the screw.

In the upper end of the hollow tube A is a square hole, E, forming anintegral partof this tube and adapted to receive the nut N, the lowerextremity of which is also square, as shown in Fig. 3. rIhis nut slidesfreely iu a chamber in the upper end of the tube A, and

is provided with a washer, e, and spring t, which latter forces thesquare end of the nut into the hole E when the screw-rod Gis pushedinward; but this spring is sufficiently resilient to allow thewithdrawal of the square head when the handle is pulled outward. Thechamber containing this nut is closed at the top by a hollow plug, G,having a diametrical slot,

K, adapted to receive the central shoulder or projection, L, on thehandle H, so as to connect the two parts into a rigid brace when theyare interlocked.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a modified form of clutch in which the nut N has twoextensions or arms, n a, adapted to take against the beveled lugs p p,having flat faces on one side and beveled surfaces on the other, toallow the arms n n to ride over them or to bear squarely against thefiat faces in a manner at once obvious. The arrangement of the otherparts of the nut and its attachments is identically the same as thoseshown in Fig. 2.

In Figs. 6 and7 I have shown anattachment for holding the tool. Itconsists of a wire spring, fw, adaptedto fit in the groove g and acrossthe slot g', and to takeA into a notch or groove, g2, in the corner ofthe tool, as clearly shown. The wire spring wis fixed at one end to theshank A, then bent around said shank in the groove g, and then bent andinserted in the deeper groove or slot, g', at the back of which latterthere is a notch, gtin the shank ofthe tool. The free end of the wire isbent upwardly, as at g3, making a thumb-piece, whicli,\vhen not in use,rests in the groove g4 at a right angle to the slot g.

To remove the tool, one takes hold of the end K of the spring and liftsit until the notched end can be withdrawn.

The operation of the brace is as follows: On placing thescrew-drver onascrew to be driven and taking the body A in one hand and the handle Hin the other, the screw C is drawn out, and in the act of drawing it outthe nut N is lifted from its socket or square hole E, or lugs a n, Figs.3 and 5, and againstthe stress of springt; thus the nut turns freely onthe screw. On reversing the motion the nut is forced quickly into thesocket E, or behind the shoulderspp, Figs. 3 and 5, and caused to impartarotary motion to the part A, and hence the tool B. By this action thescrew is quickly driven home. Should it be thought desirable to use thedevice as an ordinary handscrew brace, the screw O is thrust entirelyhome until shoulder L falls into notch or groove K, whereby a lock-jointis made between the two parts.

I am aware that it is not new with me to IOC Vhand-brace.

provide a hand-guard to a hand-brace to pro tect the hand from oil onthe screw; nor is it new with me to provide means for locking the rotaryand the Xed parts together to form a Neither is it new with me t-oprovide a nut in which the spiralv works.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l; A hand-brace consisting of a tubular body portion, A, with an angularopening in the upper part ot' its bore, a nut having an angular lowerportion adapted to fit in said angular opening, and a rounded upper partadapted to slide in said bore, a handle with the screw C working in thesaid nut, and a washer with aspring bearing against the said nut, saidparts combined substantially as del scribed.

2. A hand-brace consisting of the tubular body portion A, with a portionof its bore of angular form,.a nut having a lower portion adapted to fitin said angular opening in the bore, and its upper portion adapted toslidein said bore, a plug, G, with slot K, the screw G, with handle H,having the shoulder L, the said screw working in said nut, and a Washerand spring bearing against said nut, said parts combined substantiallyas described.

3. In ahand-brace, the tubular body A, having a nut tted therein and ascrew working and having a central shoulder and a tubular guard, a pluginserted'in the end of said body, and having a diametrical recessadapted to receive said shoulder, said parts being co1nbinedsubstantially as and for the purpose set y forth.

5. A hand-brace having a tool-holder with peripheral groove g, the slotg', and a groove, g, at right angles to said slot, and the wire springw, secured at one end to the holder and adapted to t in the groove g andacross the slot g', and having a thumb-piece, the latter adapted to ,fitin said groove gt, said parts being combined substantially as and forthe purf pose set forth.

y GEORGE W. HUBER. Witnesses:

THEO. C. WARNER, L. DoUvILLE.

